Toy building block



Patented July 19, 1927.

ATENT OFFICE.

FRED W. SHAW, 0F CUMBERLAND CENTER, MAINE.

TOY BUILDING BLOCK.

Application filed May 8,

This invention relates to toy building blocks and more particularly to an imitation brick whch may be used to construct toy brick houses or walls.

One object of the invention is to provide toy building blocks each of which has a mortar-representing line so arranged thereon that when the blocks are properly assembled the structure will closely simulate an actual wall or house built of real bricks embedded in mortar. 1

Another object is to provide toy building blocks each of which has a mortar--representing line so arranged thereon that all of the ,blocks may be identical in construction and yet each block will be capable of use in various positions and at various places in a toy structure to effect complete simulation of the mortar lines of a real building or wall.

A further object is to provide toy building blocks which, when properly assembled will closely simulate a structure built of real bricks embedded in mortar.

A further object is to provide toy building blocks, the use of which will prove interesting, amusing and educational.

One form of invention is, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved toy block as seen from one side,

Figure 2 is a corresponding perspective view as seen from the opposite side,

Figure 3 is an explanatory perspective view showng the complete mortar line around the block,

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are explanatory views showing the different ways in which blocks may be used to build a toy wall or house, and

Figure 7' is an explanatory perspective view showing how the blocks may be used for a corner construction.

The block is preferably made of wood and is rectangular in shape with its various faces hearing about the same proportions as an ordinary brick. The block may be made any suitable size but it should be small enough so that a large number of blocks may be used to construct a toy wall or toy house without making the structure unduly large. In the drawings the block is denoted in general by the reference character 1. In all of the views of the drawing the front face of the block is designated a, one end face is designated 6, the rear face is designated 0 1925. Serial No. 28,948.

and the other end face is designated d. These fourfaces of the block are preferably colored red to simulate a brick. The top and bottom faces of the block may or may not be correspondingly colored. The mortarrepresenting line may be formed in any suitable manner on the block so long as it contrasts with or distinguishes from the coloring of the block proper. A white border painted along the proper edges of the block closely simulates mortar and has been found to give the desired illusion. The white border constituting the mortar line is preferably arranged on the block as follows: It extends along the upper edge of the front face act the block as shown at 2 and then down the contiguous right hand edge of the same face as shown at 3. The end face I) is likewise provided with a similar white border which extends down the left of this face as shown at 4, and along its lower edge as shown at 5. As shown in Fig. 2 the rear face 0 has a corresponding white border along its lower edge as indicated at 6 which constitutes an extension of the border 5 on the face 6. This is best shown in Fig. 3. The other end face at is also provided with a white border 7 which constitutes an extension of the border 2 on the face a as best shown in Fig. 8. It will now be seen that one face of the block, namely the face a is. provided with a mortar-representing line along two contiguous edges and that one of these lines is extended along the conti uous edge of an adjacent end face, name y the faced and that the other end face, namely the face 5 is provided with a mortar-representing line along two contigulous edges, one of these lines being extended along the contiguous edge of the adjacent side face, namely the face 0. By arranging the mortar line on the block in this manner all of the blocks may be made alike but by properly positioning them the mortar lines may be made to simulate the mortar lines of a structure built of actual bricks and mortar. There is just suiiicient difiiculty infinding and selecting the proper face to use at a particular place to make the use of the toy blocks .both interesting and instructive to a child. The various ways in which the toy brick may be used are shown in Figs. 4 to 7 hand edge inclusive and these figures also serve to illustrate the puzzling but fascinating characteristic of the brick,

namely the difficulty it presents in properly positioning it at all places in the structure to give the desired effect, for instance at the corners Figure 4. represents the wall of a toy house built by superposing the toy bricks in such a way that the greater part of the struc ture is built with blocks so positioned that the faces a are exposed. When the blocks are so positioned the simulated mortar will appear to be continuous around the bricks. The blocks may be so positioned as to break joints as in ordinary brick-laying and as illustrated in Fig. t. This will necessitate the use at the right hand end of the wall of certain blocks 8 having their end face (/7 exposed, and the use at the left end of the wall of certain blocks 9 having their end face Z) exposed. Should it be desired to furnish a set of blocks from which a toy house maybe built having a sloping roof as shown in Fig. f certain special blocks 10 may be furnished to provide the necessary inclined edge on which the. roof may be supported. However, this feature has no bearing on the present invention.

If desired, the toy bricks may be arranged as shown in Fig. 5 with the bricks of certain rows, for instance those rows shown at ll, arranged with their long front faces a. exposed, and the bricks of other rows, for instance rows 12, arranged so that the end faces b areexposed. may alternate or may other desired manner. bricks are shown arranged end faces I) are exposed.

It will be seen from Fig. 4t that a certain amount of care is necessary in selecting the proper faces of the blocks especially in the case of the blocks 8 and 9 at the ends of'the wall. This necessary care will prove both interesting and instructing to a child. Likewise, a. certain amount of'care will be necessary in selecting the proper faces to produce the effects shown in Figs. 5 and 6. This advantageous puzzling characteristic of the block is perhaps best illustrated in Fig. 7 which shows a corner formed by two adjoining walls. It will be noted from this figure that in order to properly represent the mortar lines at the corner, certain blocks will have to be used such as shown at 13, the faces I) and c of which are exposed, and other blocks such as shown at 14t will'have to be used whose faces a and dare exposed. The arrangement of the mortar line upon each block is such that when the blocks are posibe arranged in any In Fig. 6 the toy so that only the The rows 11 and f2 tioned at the corner in the manner just described the mortar lines at the corner will exactly simulate the mortar lines at the corner of an actual building constructed of bricks and mortar.

It will be noted that in all of the arrangements shown in Figs. 4 to 7 the mortar will appear to properly surround the blocks due to the fact that the mortar line is so arranged on the block as to effect this.

It will now be seen that I have provided a toy brick which closely simulates a real one and which is provided with a mortarrepresenting line which, when the bricks are properly assei bled serve to closely simulate the mortar lines of an actual structure built of bricks and mortar. There is justsufiic'ent difficulty in properly positioning the toy brick at the various places in the structure to make the use of the bricks fascinating, interesting and instructive. All of the standard blocks of the set maybe made alike because the mortar line is so arranged that it is only necessary to properly position the blocks in order that the mortar line will be properly represented at all parts of the structure including the corners.

\l "hile the toy block is preferably made to simulate a brick by its shape and coloring, it is obvious that it may be made to simulate actual building blocks of other types.

I claim:

l. A toy building block having a l1101't2ll- "epresenting border along two contiguous edges of one side face and extended along the contiguous edge of one endface, and a similar border along two contiguous edges of the second endface and extended along the contiguous edge of the remaining side face.

2. A toy building block having a continuous mortar-representing border extend ing horizontally along the upper edge of one end face of the block, then horizontally along the upper edge of face and then. vertically down the edge of the same face, and a similar continuous mortar-representing border extending vertically down that edge of the second end face which is adjacent to the vertical portion ofthe first border, then extending horizontally along the bottom edge of the same end face and then horizontally along thebottom edge of the second side face.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRED W. SHAW.

the adjacent side 

